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by Brown J-A, Sait K, Meltzer A, Fisher KR, Thompson D, Faine R

Report

Year

2012

City

Sydney

Institution

NSW Department of Family and Community Services, Ageing, Disability and Home Care

Date

August 2012

Abstract

This report outlines research undertaken by Alzheimer's Australia NSW (AlzNSW) in 2011 that sought to identify the service and support requirements of people with younger onset dementia and their families in New South Wales.

Younger onset dementia is defined as dementia which occurs before the age of 65 years and under 50 years for Indigenous people, and it is recognised that people with younger onset dementia have service requirements that differ from those of older people with dementia.

This research collected data from people with younger onset dementia, their family members and carers, and service providers, using roundtables, interviews and surveys. The findings describe the experiences of people with younger onset dementia and that of their families and carers, and are presented in three parts:

identifying younger onset dementia

experience of support services, and

services in the later stages of dementia.

The report concludes with a discussion of the implications of the findings for policy and presents strategies to address key areas of need.